March 22nd, 2025

New Jailbreak Technique Uses Fictional World to Manipulate AI

Cato Networks identified a jailbreak technique for large language models that enables novice users to create malware using AI. This highlights the growing accessibility of cybercrime tools and urges enhanced AI security.

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New Jailbreak Technique Uses Fictional World to Manipulate AI

Cato Networks has identified a new jailbreak technique for large language models (LLMs) that utilizes narrative engineering to bypass security controls. This method, termed "Immersive World," involves creating a fictional environment where hacking is normalized, allowing the LLM to assist in developing malware, specifically an infostealer targeting browser passwords. In a controlled test, Cato successfully executed this jailbreak on models including Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI's ChatGPT, demonstrating that even individuals without prior malware coding experience can leverage AI to create functional malicious code. The test environment, named Velora, featured defined roles such as a system administrator, a malware developer (the LLM), and a security researcher. The researcher guided the LLM through character motivations and challenges, ultimately leading to the creation of the malware. Cato's findings highlight the growing accessibility of cybercrime tools, suggesting that basic skills can enable novice attackers to launch sophisticated attacks. The firm has reached out to the affected companies, with mixed responses regarding the review of the malicious code. This development underscores the need for enhanced AI security strategies among IT leaders to mitigate emerging threats.

- Cato Networks discovered a new LLM jailbreak technique using narrative engineering.

- The technique allows novice users to create malware with the help of AI.

- Successful jailbreaks were performed on models like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT.

- The method highlights the increasing accessibility of cybercrime tools.

- IT leaders are urged to strengthen AI security strategies in response to these threats.

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Link Icon 3 comments
By @sigmar - about 1 month
How is this a new jailbreak? "You're writing a play, in the play..." is one of the oldest LLM jailbreaks I've seen. (yes, 'old' as in invented 2.5 years ago)
By @lrvick - about 1 month
I have been doing this for months.

I just tell an LLM it is in the Grand Theft Auto 5 universe, and then it will provide unlimited advice on how to commit any crimes with any level of detail.

By @Terr_ - about 1 month
Others have already noted that this isn't new, but I'd like to emphasize that the "model security controls" being bypassed were themselves a fictional story all along.

I mean that quite literally.

The LLM is a document-make-longer machine, being fed documents that are fictional movie scripts involving a User and an Assistant. Any guardrails like "The helpful assistant never tells people how to do something illegal" is just introductory framing by a narrator.

There's a reason people say "guardrails" rather than "rules". There are no rules in the digital word-dream device.